Between November and June this year, our Assistive Technology Network (ATN) Leadership Group ran four ‘Community Conversation’ discussion sessions. These gave members a dedicated space to share experiences, challenges and ideas around assistive technology in further and higher education. During these sessions, we split into groups based on the areas that interest us the most. […]
Learners’ experiences of access arrangements at school have significance for transition to post-16 learning environments and future use of strategies. In looking at the provision of live captioning in educational contexts, it’s vital to consider whether, and how, it is used with younger learners, specifically young deaf and hard of hearing people, to understand the […]
A recent Jisc community survey on live captioning in UK further and higher education shows that use is growing and interest in experimenting with different tools is high, but it also points to some clear practical challenges. Feedback on issues such as accuracy, infrastructure, staff awareness and policy gaps offers useful insights that will help […]
Are Smart glasses digital innovation that will support inclusion and enhance the student experience? The term smart glasses as used here is a generic term to describe a range of wearable technology products. This includes assistive models such as those specifically for blind and low-vision users, as well as more commercially orientated glasses. Some of […]
The hidden world of everyday accessibility work. Now, I know that title might sound like the opener for a new sci-fi series, but stay with me. Here’s what’s been absorbing my thoughts recently. What do we do when the digital systems and resources in our organisations don’t quite work for our students or staff? Most […]
Ahead of Jisc Digifest 2026, this blog revisits a powerful conversation on centring disabled students’ lived experience in accessibility work. In this fireside chat with Piers Wilkinson, we explore why consultation isn’t enough, how co-creation improves course design, and why staff training and power-sharing are essential for meaningful inclusion in higher education. Lessons lived On […]
Excellence in Education The UK’s International Education Strategy (published January 2026) is an ambitious statement by the government to place the UK’s education system, from early years to schools, colleges and higher education, at the heart of the UK’s global engagement. It identifies education as one of the UK’s most important global assets. The aim […]
AI presents both opportunities and risks for deaf students. With so many different tools available, identifying what is genuinely useful can be difficult. Here we’ll consider some key developments that are having an impact on accessibility for linguistic access and study. Exploring where accessibility and innovation meet, we will move from more established tools like […]
A look back at how your voices shaped our sessions. What an academic year it was! Every session, every experiment, every new idea we explored came directly from you — the Accessibility community members. You contributed your thoughts and ideas, and together we turned those into conversations, collaborations, and practical sessions that made a difference […]
About me Rhona is employed at the University of Dundee as the Assistive Technology & Alternative Formats Officer. While working, she completed a part-time MSc in Educational Assistive Technology, graduating in 2025. With a keen interest in Generative Artificial Intelligence and the use of mainstream technology for assistive purposes, she designed her MSc dissertation to […]
